Suzuki knew exactly what to do when it wanted to ensure its latest version of the Alto city car would appeal to European drivers. A bunch of designers were put on planes to Paris and Milan and told to stay there until they had come up with a car design that would slot in well on those city streets.

Their initial sketches were then shown to design clinics in the UK, the Netherlands, France, and Italy, before the final shape was chosen.

The reason for taking all this trouble was that while most Japanese car makers know a thing or two about building city cars, many have not been to European tastes.

Strict Japanese tax laws governing size and power of cars led some companies down a Postman Pat-route of car design which has proved less than popular here.

That is not a problem with Suzuki’s flagship low-carbon vehicle, the seventh generation Alto, with its smooth profile and wedge-shaped side windows.

It is a good-looking little car and its appeal is more than skin deep.

A 1.0-litre, three-cylinder engine, which it shares with the European-built entry-level Splash GLS, delivering day-to-day fuel consumption topping 60mpg, low emissions that qualify for £35 annual road tax and rock-bottom insurance ratings, mean the Alto will be inexpensive to run. Buyers who get in quickly under the Government scrappage scheme will also find a surprisingly compact price tag, for under the scheme the entry-level SZ2 manual model should get you on the road for less than £5,000.

For that you get a smart five-door, four-seater car with a boot that will hold a couple of bags of shopping.

The car, which is made at Maruti Suzuki’s assembly facility near Delhi, India, is less settled on longer journeys, but is in its element nipping around city streets.

The entry-level model's obvious appeal is a competitive price tag, but if you are willing to spend more, you can add the likes of air conditioning and the model tested here, the SZ4, comes with an electronic stability programme, curtain shield airbags, 14-inch alloy wheels, and front fog lamps.

An automatic gearbox is also available as an option. The Alto model was first introduced in Japan 30 years ago and arrived here two years later. Since then, almost 42,000 have taken to the roads in the UK.

If you are in the market for a low-cost city car that is affordable to run, you need to take a look at it.

Auto facts Suzuki Alto SZ4

Price: £8,460

Ins group: Two

Fuel consumption (Combined): 64.2mpg

Top speed: 96mph

Length: 350cm/137.8in

Width: 160cm/63in

Luggage space: 4.5 cu ft

Fuel tank capacity: 7.7 gallons/ 35 litres

CO2 emissions: 103g/km

Warranty: 3 years/60,000 miles